Official: Three major blocs to discuss retaining Maliki tomorrow
22/05/2012 13:26

ERBIL, May 22 (AKnews)- Leaders of the National Alliance, the Iraqiya List and the Kurdistan Blocs Coalition will meet tomorrow in Baghdad in a bid to overcome the political crisis in the country, an official said today.

In the meeting it is likely that the leaders will discuss the option to retain Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki for two more years, said Aref Tayfur, second deputy to Speaker for the House of Representatives Osama al-Nujaifi.

Tayfur expected that with the passage of time the tensions are becoming easier "because Maliki…. is increasingly showing flexibility towards resolving the issues."

The reports over Maliki's replacement grew stronger after Kurdistan President Massoud Barzani met in Erbil with Iraqiya List Leader Ayad Allawi and Muqtada Sadr, who leads the Shiite Sadr Current.

The leaders warned should Maliki continue his "unilateral" decision-making, they will withdraw confidence from his government. They set a two-week deadline for Maliki to implement the "overlooked" articles of some political agreements.

After the termination of the deadline, Allawi and Barzani met for the second time and reiterated their previous position against Maliki's government. Both leaders directly or indirectly have described Maliki as a "dictator."

There are also reports that Maliki has been given an extra week to fulfill the demands issued during the summit of leaders in Erbil.

Aref said one of the points that the parties have agreed on is to let Maliki rule for the rest of his second term (two years) but to bar him from nominating himself for the next term.

The official seemed optimistic about the meeting in Baghdad.

"I believe the current situation will get normalized but it will not settle as it ought to," Aref said.

Maliki is under a "heavy pressure" said Kurdish MP Farhad Atrushi, "because the situation is getting tenser and this is neither in the interest of Maliki nor the Iraqi people."

"Maliki has realized that now two major components which are Kurds and Sunnis as well as part of Shiites are not with him, therefore, he shows flexibility [towards settling the issues].

Atrushi expected the political crisis will get over.

Maliki was reinstated as PM by National Alliance (NA), the largest Shiite alliance which was created after the elections. Sadr Current is one of the components of this super bloc.

By Fryad Mohammed

https://www.aknews.com/en/aknews/4/308386/